Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States and one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Nearly 25 million people are currently living with cancer, with 11 million new cases diagnosed each year. Furthermore, as the general population continues to age, cancer will become a bigger and bigger problem. The World Health Organization projects that by the year 2020, global cancer rates will increase by 50%.
The thyroid is a gland in the neck that has at least two kinds of cells that make hormones. Follicular cells make thyroid hormone, which affects heart rate, body temperature, and energy level. C cells make calcitonin, a hormone that helps control the level of calcium in the blood. Abnormal growth in the thyroid can results in the formation of nodules, which can be either benign or malignant. Thyroid cancer includes at least four different kinds of malignant tumors of the thyroid gland: papillary, follicular, medullary and anaplastic.
It is estimated that out of the approximately 120,000 thyroid removal surgeries performed each year due to suspected malignancy in the United States, only about 33,000 are necessary. Thus, approximately 90,000 unnecessary surgeries are performed. In addition, there are continued treatment costs and complications due to the need for lifelong drug therapy to replace the lost thyroid function. Accordingly, there is a need for improved testing procedures that improve upon current methods of cancer diagnosis.